UBC Japanese Library Resources Blog

Check out January’s library skills workshops for Japanese Studies students, teachers and scholars.

Introduction to Japanese Language Learning Resources
January 21 (Mon)
10:30 – 11:30am
Learn about the print and electronic resources available to UBC students learning Japanese. A tour of the library is included! Particularly suitable for 3rd and 4th-year undergraduate students.
Register

Finding Japanese Newspaper and Journal Articles
January 23 (Wed)
10:30 – 11:30am
Discover print and online search tools for finding Japanese-language newspaper and journal articles.
Register

Overview of Japanese Digital Resources
January 25 (Fri)
2:00 – 3:30pm
Check out Japan’s digital library collections, including online resources from the National Diet Library.
Register

Please contact me if you cannot make it to the sessions, but would like to learn more about any of these topics.

I have received the application form and texts for the 7th Shizuoka International Translation Competition (しずおか世界翻訳コンクール). You can contact me if you want to take a look, or you can request your own copy by contacting their office directly. The entry deadline is December 10, 2008.

For more, see the official site.

Check out the following asahi.com articles on Japanese publishing in 2007.

Bestsellers:
２年続けて「品格」ブーム　２００７年のベストセラー

Publishing Trends:
古典・ケータイ小説が席巻　２００７年の出版界

The Japan Foundation has donated 114 volumes to our collection! These include the entire 88-volume set of Shinpen Nihon koten bungaku zenshu (新編日本古典文学全集), as well as select volumes of Waka bungaku taikei (和歌文学大系), Karon kagaku shusei (歌論歌学集成), and Muromachi jidai monogatari taisei (室町時代物語大成)

This generous gift will prove to be an invaluable resource to students and researchers of pre-modern Japanese literature. Thank you Japan Foundation!

For more pictures, go to:

Japan Foundation Grant Books

What’s an RSS Feed?
Certain websites and databases allow users to subscribe to their RSS feeds. RSS feeds send subscribers alerts about newly-published information as it becomes available on the sites.

Types of web resources that have this feature include blogs, news agency websites and scholarly e-journals and databases. Some sites have many RSS feeds, with specific feeds for specific topics of interest (such as a newspaper website having a feed for its health-related articles); while other sites have only one RSS feed, which sends information on every item published on the site.

What’s an RSS Reader?
RSS Readers are used to store, sort and share the information you receive from your RSS feed subscriptions.

What does it look like?
To see RSS in action, click here.

What’s the point?
RSS feeds are useful for learning about newly published web content that is pertinent to you, without having to search through information that you’re not interested in. Almost like a newspaper that only has articles on subjects that you’re interested in, RSS feeds let you know what’s new in your subject area.

Can I get Japanese-language content through RSS feeds?
Yes! Many Japanese news agencies have started using RSS feeds, as well as blogs and other web resources.

How do I get started?
If you’re interested in setting up an RSS Reader and subscribing to feeds, please contact me, and we can set it up together. You can also check out the help pages of any RSS Reader application. I use Google Reader.

There will be three instructional workshops this fall related to Japanese resources at Asian Library. The schedule is as follows:

Introduction to Japanese Language Learning Resources
October 22 (Mon)
10:00 – 11:00am
Learn about all the print and electronic resources available to UBC students learning Japanese. A tour of the library is included, and you can try out our language-learning software!
Register

Overview of Library and Electronic Resources in Japanese Studies
October 25 (Thu)
10:00 – 11:00am
Discover the Japanese resources at Asian Library. The session will include tips on searching the catalogue and an introduction to Japanese-language electronic resources, such as the JapanKnowledge database.
Register

RefWorks for Japanese Studies
October 26 (Fri)
10:00 – 11:00am
Learn how to use RefWorks for citations, bibliography management and collaboration. Includes tips on using the program for citing Japanese language materials.
Register

If you cannot make it to the above sessions, but are interested in learning more about any of these tools and resources, please contact me.

The Japan-related faculty information meeting will be at the following date and time:

October 5 (Friday)
3:30 – 5:00pm
Asian Centre, Room 604

The following will be distributed at the meeting:
Agenda (Download file)
Journal Use Survey (Download File)
Faculty Feedback Form (Download file)

Great news for everyone using CiNii database. You can now search for specific journal names from within the Print and Electronic Journals page. We currently have access to 2487 titles, and should be close to acquiring the license for the full CiNii package, which includes 6183 titles.

Check out the new search feature here!